Taraba House considers hanging for kidnappers
Posted To The Web: Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - Charles Akpeji, Jalingo


A BILL prohibiting kidnapping and abduction of persons in Taraba State was yesterday co-sponsored by both Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Istifanus H. Gbana and his Deputy, Bishir Marafa Abba.

The bill, which has gone through the second reading, seeks the death penalty by hanging for convicted kidnappers. It is tagged: "The Taraba State Kidnap and Abduction Prohibition Law 2009".

Debating it on the floor of the House yesterday, members lauded the initiators of the bill, saying it would go a long way to discourage kidnappers from the criminal act through the stiff penalty it proposed.

Speaking with journalists at the Assembly complex, Abba said the bill was necessary to protect all Nigerians and expatriates living in Taraba.

However, Abba linked the scourge of kidnapping and abduction to the rising youth unemployment in the country and charged government at all levels to address the problem of youth unemployment across the nation.

His words: "Government has to do something positive about unemployment among the youths in the country. Once this is done, there will be a drastic reduction in crime and vices, include kidnapping and abduction in the country".

Abba also charged individuals, corporate organisations and philanthropists to help the youths by employing them, saying the "government alone cannot solve the unemployment problem".

The bill read in part: "A person who kidnaps or abducts or by other means instils fear or tricks, takes another person with intent to demand ransom or compels another person to do anything against his will commits an offence".

"Any person who contravenes the provision of subsection (1) of this law, according to the bill, "where the life of the person kidnapped, abducted or seized is lost in the process is liable on conviction to death by hanging".

It further stated that any person who attempts "to commit the act of kidnapping or abduction of person commits an offence under this law and is liable on conviction to 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine".

To accelerate the passage of the bill, the House Committee on Justice and Security was promptly mandated to deliberate on it and call for public hearings.

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About time, . . . I wish they can hang them before they commit the crime sef!

That will be too harsh.

Both federal and state Legislatures should be enacting laws that will stipulate hanging of political office holders that embezzled funds meant for the populace. Kidnapping is fall out from the embezzlement of public fund by the politicians.

Nice one. . . Guillotine them, chop them all up!
Bomboclaats

Great idea!!!!
Maybe with the capital punishment, the
jerks can now go and get a job.

I think the bill shd be made national.

That is barbaric. I think 50 years in jail will do.